Reply #8: Any analysis that ignores private giving is meaningless...

[Egalitariat]

and this is one of them. It actually says it ignores private giving.

US citizens made almost $250 billion in charitable contributions last year. Surely, at least a few of those dollars went to international relief and development organizations.

That money should be counted in any analysis that rates the generosity of a country.

Whether the US Government drafts the check or the money comes directly from Joe Sixpack, it all comes from the same place - US taxpayers.

As a matter of fact, Amazon.com has already collected over $2.5 million in private donations that are specific to the devastation of the tsunamis.